Freezing tray



April 12, 1938. E. E. GROVER 0 FREEZING TRAY Filed Aug. 5, 1934 v5 ll f, FIG). 3.

INVENTQR WITNESSES: I I -50. 7n ELLIOTT E. GROVER Patented Apr., 12, 1938 "uNiTEo STATES PATENT OFFICE meme TRAY Elliott E. Grover, Springfield, Masa, assignor Westinghouse Electric 8; Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa,

Pennsylvania a corporation of Application August-3, 1934, Serial No. 138,189 4 Claims. (01. 62-l085) My invention relates to a freezing tray and particularly to a, freezing tray having associated therewith a mechanism for breaking the ice bond which forms between the freezing tray and its vide a tray release mechanism which requires the application of only a small force to break the ice bond between the tray andits support.

It is a furtherobject of my invention to provide an inexpensive tray release mechanism of improved construction and appearance.

These. and other objects are efiected by my invention, as will be apparent from the following description and claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this 7 application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a cooling element of a domestic refrigerator containing two freezing trays embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the cooling element and a. freezing tray taken on line Ill-II of Fig. .1; and, r

- Fig, 3 is a top view of a freezing tray with portions thereof broken away to illustrate my invention.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a tray release mechanism attached to a freezing tray in such a. manner that l the force applied by the user is greatly multiplied and results in forcing the tray in a generally vertical' direction for breaking the ice bond between the tray and its support. The mechanism'is so arrangedthat the force used by the'operator to 40 break the ice bond also tends to move the tray forward and out of the cooling element.

Referring specifically to the drawing for a detailed description of my invention, numeral I designates the cooling element or evaporator of a domestic refrigerator. Freezing trays generally indicated at 2 are disposed in the evaporator I on support members 3. An end of the freezing tray 2 isprovided with an extended lip l, and a U-shaped member 5 is welded to the tray 2 and forms vertically-extending flanges 6.

' A tray release mechanism, generally indicated at 1, is pivotally mounted on the flanges 6 adjacent the upper extremities thereof, the extended lip l covering the top of the mechanism to prevent water from dripping and freezing thereon, which would preventeasy operation of the tray release mechanism, The lip 4 also improves the appearance of the trays 2.

The tray release mechanism 1 comprises a movable panel member 8 having backwardly turned 5 flanges 9. The movable" member 8 is provided with a turned handle portion ii adapted to be grasped by the user to operate the tray release mechanism. The movable'member 8 is pivotally mounted on the flanges 6 of the U-shaped member 5 by a pin l2 journalled in the upper portion of the flanges 5.

A lifting member I 3 is loosely journaled in openings i i in the backwardly turned flanges '9 of the movable member 8, the openings It being 15 laterally offset from the pin l2 so as to impart downward movement of'the lifting member when the movable member 8 is rotated counterclockwise about the pin [2. The lifting member 83 contacts the support 3 of thecooli'ng element I 20 when the movable member 8 is moved forwardly of the cooling element l and breaks the ice bond between the tray 2 and the supports 3 of the cooling element. The force applied by the user when the handle i I is moved forwardly is greatly '25 magnified through the leverage of the tray release mechanism obtained by the relative positions of the handle ll, pin i2, and openings M,

so that relatively small force need be applied to the handle II to break the ice bond. The force 30 applied to the movable member 8 to break the ice'bond also tends to move thetray 2 forwardly after the ice bond is broken.

The movable member 8 1s preferably formed of an imperforate metal member so as to shield 35 some of the working parts of the tray-release mechanism to retard the entrance of moisture to the mechanism and to enhance the appearance of the front of the tray.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that 40 I have provided a tray release mechanism of im-. proved construction and appearance which may be operated to break the ice bond between a freezing tray and itssupport by the application of a relatively small force. I

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modification without de-' porting from the spirit thereof, and I. desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: v

1. A tray release mechanism for breaking the ice bond between a freezing tray and its support comprising a movable member pivoted to the tray and embodying a handle portion, and a lifting member mounted on the movable member and so positioned as to contact the support to lift the tray vertically from the support when the movable member is actuated, said handle member when actuated also being adapted to apply horizontal force to the freezing tray in a direction away froifi the support, said handle providing a shield for covering the front of the tray. release mechanism.

2. A tray release mechanism for breaking an ice bond between a freezing tray and its support comprising vertically extending flanges mounted on the front of thetray, a movable member embodying a handle portion and backwardly turned flanges having openings therein, said vertically extending flanges pivotally supporting the backwardly turned flanges and, therefore, the movable member, said handle portion being formed remotely from the pivotal support, and a lifting member journaled in the openings in the backwardly turned flanges and so positioned as to contact the support to lift the tray when the movable member is actuated, said handle member, openings, and pivotal support being relatively disposed to multiply the force applied to the handle member and transmitted to the lifting member to break the ice bond.

3. A tray release' mechanism for breaking an ice bond between a freezing tray and its support comprising vertically extending flanges mounted on the front of the tray, a. movable member embodying a handle portion and backwardly turned flanges having openings therein, said vertically extending flanges pivotally supporting the backwardly turned flanges and, therefore, the movable member, said handle portion being formed ber, openings, and pivotal support being relative- 1y disposed to multiply the force applied to the handle member and transmitted to the lifting member to break the ice bond, said tray embodying an extended lip portion covering the top of the tray release mechanism.

4. A tray release mechanism for breaking an ice bond between a freezing tray and its support comprising vertically extending flanges mounted on the front of the tray, a movable member embodying a handle portion and backwardly turned flanges having openings therein, said vertically extending flanges pivotally supporting the backwardly turned flanges and, therefore, the movable member, said handle portion being formed remotely from the pivotal sup portyand a lifting member journaled in the openings in the backwardly turned flanges and so positioned as to contact the support to lift the tray when the movable-member is actuated, said handle member, openings, and pivotal support being relatively disposed to multiply the force applied to. the handle member and transmitted to the lifting memher to break the ice bond, said movable member embodying a substantially imperforate plate covering the front of the tray release mechanism.

ELLIOTT E. GROVER. 

